1. Technical Field
The invention relates to liquid crystal display (LCD) arrays.
2. Description of the Related Art
An array tester as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,179,345 and 5,546,013 provides a means for testing the cells of an TFT/LCD display array by coupling test probes to the gate line pads and data line pads that terminate the gate lines and data lines, respectively, of the TFT/LCD array.
Importantly, when the size of the TFT/LCD display array under test is changed, the spacing of the gate lines and/or data lines and the pads terminating thereof change. In order to test such an array, the probe fixture for the gate lines and/or data lines must be redesigned to accommodate for the variation in spacing, which is a costly solution.
In addition, when the resolution of the TFT/LCD display array under test results is changed, the number of gate lines and/or data lines and pads terminating thereof changes. In order to test such an array, the probe fixture for the gate lines and/or data lines must be redesigned to accommodate for the variation in the number of gate lines and/or data lines. Moreover, the gate line drive circuitry and/or the data line drive/sense circuitry and the control routine must be updated to accommodate for the variation in the number of the gate lines and/or data lines. Such design modifications are also very costly.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for an array test system whereby the configuration of the array test system can be changed with minimal costs in order to accommodate variations in the size and/or resolution of the TFT/LCD display arrays under test.
In addition, there remains a need in the art for circuitry integrated onto the substrate that enables reconfiguration of the array test system with minimal costs.